Best Places to Retire in Arizona for Cost of Living
Quick answer
The most affordable places to retire in Arizona in 2026 are Tucson, Surprise, and Prescott. Tucson ranks first, with col index of 93.2. Rankings below cover 15 Arizona cities and measure the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), using the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau.
Cities where your retirement savings go further, ranked by overall cost of living and affordability. When choosing a retirement destination in Arizona, cost of living is often a top priority. The cities below are ranked by the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), drawn from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau and refreshed for 2026.
Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau. See our full methodology and data lineage →
Ranked #1 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.2.
COL Index
93.2
Ranked #2 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 96.3.
COL Index
96.3
Ranked #3 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #4 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 99.8.
COL Index
99.8
Ranked #5 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #6 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #7 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #8 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #9 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #10 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #11 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #12 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #13 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #14 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
Ranked #15 of 15 Arizona cities for cost of living, with col index of 100. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
100
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What is the best place to retire in Arizona for cost of living?
Tucson ranks first among Arizona retirement cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.2. Surprise and Prescott follow closely behind. Rankings use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau.
How does RetireCityIQ rank Arizona cities for cost of living?
Each city is scored on the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau. Cities are then ordered from lowest to highest on that metric. See our methodology page for the full scoring model and data lineage.
Which Arizona cities are covered in these cost of living rankings?
These rankings cover 15 Arizona retirement cities, including Tucson, Surprise, Prescott, Mesa, Fortuna Foothills, and more. Each links to a full retirement guide with cost of living, taxes, healthcare, and climate data.